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Kyrgyzstan

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the UK is taking to promote a democratic and pluralistic society in Kyrgyzstan. [219013]

Mr. Rammell: We work closely both bilaterally and through the EU and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to support a variety of projects aimed at promoting a democratic and pluralistic society in Kyrgyzstan. We similarly encourage the Kyrgyz Government publicly and privately towards this end. In January this year, our Ambassador publicly expressed support for the election-related work of the OSCE in Kyrgyzstan.

In the build-up to the recent elections we supported a range of projects including several voter education campaigns, exit polling, training for independent domestic election observers and promoting open dialogue between Government officials and NGOs. Through the UN Development Programme we also contributed to updating the Kyrgyz Central Election Committee's electronic voter system.

We have also supported the ombudsman and other projects on the media, rights of the child, OSCE police reform and alternatives to the use of prison.

Kyrgyzstan is a focal country for the Department for International Development (DfID). Through their £3.35 million development programme, DfID engage with the Government on several policy areas including governance and anti corruption. Kyrgyzstan has also signed up to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative which aims to promote Government and corporate accountability in the extractive industries.

Ministerial Visits

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what factors determined his Department's selection of Lahore and Gujarat for inclusion in the itinerary of his 2005 South Asia tour; and what the cost was of including those destinations in the tour. [220566]

Mr. Straw: I visited Lahore at the longstanding invitation of the Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri, with whom I had a working dinner; the guests at which included a wide range of senior representatives from business, Government and the media. I also used the visit to deliver a keynote speech to an invited audience of over 200 in Pakistan's second largest city. The additional cost of the Lahore element was £14,116.
 
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I visited Gujarat in Pakistan's Punjab province to pursue consular and visa objectives, and to develop further the important people to people links between that part of Pakistan and the Pakistani communities in the UK. I was hosted in Gujarat by the Chief Minister of Punjab, whose home town it is, and I used the opportunity to develop my links with this important political family. The additional cost of the Gujarat element was £1,307.

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what rules apply to the conduct of Ministers in the selection of foreign destinations for ministerial visits. [220567]

Mr. Straw: All arrangements for overseas travel by Ministers are in accordance with the ministerial code.

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact on the UK Muslim community of the scheduling of Ministerial visits to Lahore and Gujarat. [220605]

Mr. Straw: As is usual in respect of ministerial visits, no formal assessment has been made of the impact on the British Muslim community of my recent visit to Lahore and Gujarat in Pakistan, but it appears to have been well received by both the central and provincial governments, and by the media in Pakistan.

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who in his Department took the decision to include Lahore and Gujarat in the itinerary of his recent visit to South Asia. [220607]

Mr. Straw: I made the decision to visit Lahore and Gujarat in Pakistan, as I had to visit Islamabad, taking into account advice from officials.

Public Diplomacy Unit

Mr. Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs within what Directorate in his Department the Public Diplomacy Unit is based; and what the remit of the Unit is. [218646]

Mr. Straw: The Public Diplomacy Group of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) forms part of the Directorate for Strategy and Information. The remit of the Group is to influence positively foreign perceptions of the UK, in line with FCO strategic priorities and to strengthen the FCO's relationships with Parliament, Whitehall, the British Council, the BBC World Service and the devolved administrations, and its outreach to civil society.

Mr. Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the budget for the Public Diplomacy Unit (a) is in 2004–05 and (b) was in 2003–04; and how many staff work in the Public Diplomacy Unit. [218652]

Mr. Straw: The budget for the Public Diplomacy Group of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is £15,768,100 in the current financial year and was £15,534,494 in 2003–04. 63 staff are employed in the Group.
 
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Uganda

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received relating to the commissioning by President Museveni of members of the paramilitary Kalangala Action Plan Youth Brigade for the purpose of intimidating the opposition in Uganda. [218265]

Mr. Mullin: We have heard reports of the reactivation of the Kalangala Action Plan Youth Brigade, which according to Uganda's own Parliament was implicated in violence during the 2001 elections. We have raised our concerns with the Ugandan authorities, who have assured us that any illegal activity will be handled by the police. We shall take a close interest in the activities of this group.

Uzbekistan

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent steps he has taken to investigate alleged human rights abuse in Uzbekistan. [219281]

Mr. Rammell: We remain disturbed by reports of human rights abuses in Uzbekistan and have consistently made clear to the Uzbek Government the extent of our concern.

On 1 March 2005 I drew to the attention of the Uzbek ambassador our concern at reports that Uzbekistan continued in 2004 to execute those prisoners on death row with appeals lodged with the UN Human Rights Committee.

As we prepare to assume the Presidency of the EU, we will look to remain actively—and where necessary critically—engaged on questions of economic and political governance, including human rights, in Uzbekistan and Central Asia as a whole.

Venezuela

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the relationship between Venezuela and the United States of America, with particular reference to the effects of arms purchases by Venezuela from Russia. [218960]

Mr. Rammell: Bilateral relations between Venezuela and the US are a matter for the two countries concerned.

Venezuela has stated its intention to purchase a number of assault rifles from Russia for use by army reservists. Venezuela is committed to the politically binding United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons adopted in July 2001. Under this Programme of Action Venezuela has a right to import weapons for its self-defence and security. It is also required to ensure that these weapons are properly stored and managed and that proper records are kept.

Zimbabwe

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place between the Government and (a) the
 
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US Administration, (b) EU member states and (c) the South African Government on the forthcoming parliamentary elections in Zimbabwe. [218962]

Mr. Mullin: We regularly discuss the situation in Zimbabwe with the US Administration, our EU partners and the South African Government. Our immediate priority remains free and fair elections on 31 March.

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what discussions have taken place between the Government and the UN regarding election monitoring in Zimbabwe; [218963]

(2) what discussions have taken place between the Government and the Southern African Development Community regarding election monitoring in Zimbabwe. [218978]

Mr. Mullin: We are in regular touch with the UN Secretariat and the members of the Southern African Development Community over the election in Zimbabwe. We want Zimbabwe to honour in full its commitment to the Southern African Development Community electoral principles.

We also want Zimbabwe to invite a wide range of international observers, including the UN; they have made clear they do not intend to do so. These actions speak for themselves.

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Chinese Government concerning the recent shipment of assault rifles, military vehicles, riot equipment and tear gas to Zimbabwe. [219896]

Mr. Straw [holding answer 4 March 2005]: The Government regularly discusses export control and counter-proliferation issues with the Chinese Government. In January 2005 officials participated in an EU-China export controls seminar, and later this month a Chinese delegation will travel to the UK to continue this cooperation. These talks stress the importance of taking account of the use to which strategic exports are to be put in the country of final destination and the importance of refusing exports where there is a clear risk that they might be used for internal repression. The Government has not to date raised with China the specific shipment that the right hon. and learned Gentleman refers to. But the Government would not approve export of goods which might be used for internal repression or external aggression, or where we were concerned that equipment would be re-exported and used for these purposes. We have serious concerns about the export of arms to Zimbabwe, a country with a track record of armed internal repression. It is also a further indictment of the skewed priorities of the Mugabe regime if they believe arms purchases of this kind matter more than relieving the woeful humanitarian situation.

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